Beginner's question

[johnparrin]

Hello,

I am just beginning to experiment using AutoIt, so please be patient.

I have read some documentation.

I would like to learn some scripting skills, and I found the following problem would be a great place to start.

So, here we go.

I use 7 zip all the time to extract all sorts of archives, but have become annoyed by the GUI that kept popping up when all I wanted was to unarchive a file. What I wanted was something really like The Unarchiver for mac.

I have created the following batch file that runs 7 zip from the command line with only the progress bar appearing.

"D:\Path\to\7\zip\7zG.exe" x %1 -o%cd%\* 
del %1

The first line runs 7zip from the command line using the x switch, which is there to extract. The o switch allows me to extract the archive to a folder with the same name as the archive.

Then I delete the archive.

I would like to code this using autoit, I think It would be a great way to start learning it.

What I tried was Run, but I noticed it did not allow you to use switches.

Any help or any links pointing to documentation would be greatly appreciated.

Ps: I would like to use filerecyle instead of the del equivalent.

[JFX]

ShellExecuteWait("D:\Path\to\7\zip\7zG.exe", 'x "' & $CmdLine[1] & '" -o"' & @WorkingDir & '\*"')
;~ FileDelete($CmdLine[1])
FileRecycle($CmdLine[1])

Better use ShellExecuteWait for such a command, it's easier.

The %1 of a batch file is replaced with $CmdLine[1]

%CD% should be @WorkingDir in AutoIt

Also don't forget the quotes. %1 or %CD% could have spaces in their names.

Edited June 15, 2010 by JFX

[PsaltyDS]

AutoIt can make DLL calls and use a COM interface (7za.dll) also. I believe there is already a 7zip UDF posted that uses it.

[johnparrin]

Thanks very much for the speedy and effective reply.

I did not know Shellexecute.

Why do you use "&" between the different shellexectue parameters? Are they necessary for the syntax?

[johnparrin]

I've noticed an odd 'bug' tough.

When extracting very small zip files to my desktop, it does not show the newly created folder, although it is present and visible when I go see the desktop folder in explorer.

I did not have this issue when using my batch file.

Could it be related to autoit?

[PsaltyDS]

Why do you use "&" between the different shellexectue parameters? Are they necessary for the syntax?

Only where you want to concatenate variable values with the literal string parts:

'x "' -- literal string

& $CmdLine[1] & -- variable value

'" -o"' -- literal string

& @WorkingDir & -- variable value

'\*"' -- literal string

If $CmdLine[1] (first command line parameter passed to the script) is "C:\MyDir\MyFile.7z", and @WorkingDir = "C:\Temp", then that all becomes one string as:

'x "C:\MyDir\MyFile.7z" -o"C:\Temp\*"'

This entire string is passed to the executable (7zG.exe) in ShellExecute() as the complete command line parameters.